Locomotive boiler



June 6, 1933.

A. H. WILLETT ET AL LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Filed March 14, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY! June 6, 1933.

Filed March 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 a 5 9a g 32 /0 l 3 E. 1 1 I 13*; 2 jjtltfjjjfijjj;-jjjiiilttiitjiht:til iii: 3 1 3 l 3 L 7 u f NVENT *---4 W I BY ATTORNEYS Patented June 6,

ALFRED H. WILLE'IT, or WEST ENGLEWOOD, AND cirnsrnna. SIEGEL, oniviiwiinK PATENT OFFICE NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOBS "I'O AMERICAN ARCH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LOCOMOTIVE BOILER Application filed March 14, 1930. Serial No. 435,768.

This invention relates to locomotive boilers and particularly to improvements in fire box constructions.

C One of the primary objects of our invenof simplified internal water leg constructions for locomotive boilers of such character that very effective circulation is. ob-

tained.

A further object resides in the provision er improved arch arrangements for locomotive boilers.

. Still another object is the provis on of an improved locomotive fire box of the type having internal water legs in which greater flexibility than has heretofore been possible is obtained, i. e., our invention provides more even distribution and freedom of expansion and contraction of the parts with less tendency towar bolts.

It is also an object of our invention to d buckling and breakage of stay provide an arrangement whereby the available grate area is increased over present practice.

A more specific object of our invention resides in realizing the above objects and advantages in locomotives provided withbarrel type combustion chambers or fire boxes.

Furthermore, we contemplate the provision of a horizontal type of arch for locomotive fire boxes havingmany advantages, such, for example, as greatly increased volinns in the fire zone, better distribution of fuel, longer arch life, increase in radiant rays both above and below the arch and more 7 complete consumption of combustible particles which are carried over the arch with consequent economy of fuel, reduction of cinder losses and considerably less smoke at the stack.

A more detailed object of our invention inafter appear, or are incident to our invention, are realized is illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings Where- 1n a locomotive boiler and fire box embodying our invention, the section being taken substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of Fig. 2 is a cross section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modification of our invention, the section being taken on the line l e of Fig. 5 and Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on theline 5-5 of Fig. 4. j i j The locomotive boiler and fire box comprises in general an outer cylindrical barrel orbody portion 6, a rear fire box portion 7, a plurality of fire fines 8, internal water legs 9, refractory arch structure 10, and a firing opening 11 for the introduction of fuel.

The fire box comprises inside and outside side sheets 12 and 13, inside and outside throat sheets 14 and 15, inside and outside back sheets 16 and 17, a fine sheet 18 for the fines 8, an inner crown sheet 19 and an outer wrapper sheet 20. The arrangement provides side water legs 21, 21 a front water leg 22, a rear water leg 23, and a top steam and water space 2 1.

Theinternal water legs 9, of which two are illustrated in this instance, depend from the inner crown sheet 19 and extend longitudinally of the fire box for substantially the full length thereof, i. e., from the back sheet 16 to a point closely adjacent the tube sheet 18 at which end the legs may be inclined as indicated by the numeral 25. At the rear these throughout their extent and arehorizontally disposed. In effect these legs constitute trough-like depending Water walls which open into the rear water leg 23 and into the top steam and water space 24 and thus have water inlet communication with the rear leg 23 and water outlet communication with the top steam and water space.

We have, therefore, provided internal water legs through which circulation is from the rearwater leg to the top of the boiler. This greatly improves the entire circulation of the boiler for the reason that the portions of the boiler which in present practice are substantially dead, insofar as circulation is concerned, are made active. Stated in another way, it is a well known fact that in present locomotive boilers the circulation at the rear and side water legs is sluggish and, therefore, the boilers are not as effective as they could be. We propose, therefore, to greatly improve the circulation in the boiler and consequently its effectiveness through the provision of the means just above described which draws the water from the forward part of the boiler backwardly through the side water legs to the rear water leg and then upwardly over the crown sheet into the top steam and water space 24., thus causing great activity in heretofore sluggish portions of the boiler.

The water legs 9 are formed with longitudinal flanges 26 and are welded to the crown sheet 19 at these flanges. Similar flanges are provided at'the rear of the legs for welding them to the rear sheet 16. Stay bolts 27 and 28 are provided for staying the water legs 9, the shorter stay bolts 27 being engaged between flanges 26 and the wrapper sheet 20 and the longer stay bolts 28 being engaged between the lower extremities 29 of the legs and the outer sheet 20. Although I have shown only a few stay bolts at the front and rear portions of the legs, it is to be understood that they are provided in similar spacing between the two groups shown. Thus it will be seen that our novel internal water legs are adapted for staying from the outer or wrapper sheet. Cross stay bolts 30 are also employed as shown in Fig. 3.

Our improved construction makes for great flexibility particularly at the crown, for the legs are free to expand and contract with the crown sheet, there being no connection of the water legs to lower parts of the boiler such as is present in usual internal water leg constructions in which the water legs are connected to the throat portion of the boiler. Thus the tendency toward buckling of the crown sheet with consequent breakage of stay bolts is very materially reduced.

Furthermore, the throat construction of the boiler is greatly simplified, for there are no tube or water leg connections to be provided for at the throat, nor is it necessary to provide the wash out plugs which always accompany them.

Referring now to the arch 10, it will be seen that the water legs 9 are enlarged or bulged along their lower edges as indicated at 31 so that substantially horizontally disposed, longitudinally extending, bulbouses are provided, which may terminate short of the rear portions of the legs as shown in Fig. 1. The fire arch 10 includes middle arch bricks 32 resting on the enlargements 31 and spanning the gap between the water legs 9 and side arch bricks 33 spanning the gap between the water legs 9 and the side sheets 12 of the fire box. The side bricks 33 rest on the enlargements 31 and lean against the side sheets 12. The middle and side sections of the arch may be formed of single brick in some instances, and in other instances may be formed of double bricks, as illustrated in Fig. 2, this being determined by the size of the gap to be spanned. The bricks may be of any suitable well known form.

An upright bridge wall 34, composed of fire brick, is provided in the front portion of the fire box, which wall receives its support from the barrel portion 35 of the fire box. The bridge wall terminates at the front edge of the horizontal arch 10. The arch 10 extends rearwardly from the bridge wall 3% to a point short of the rear of the fire box, thus providing an opening 35 for the hot products of combustion to pass from below the arch to above it and thence to the fire fiues 8.

The horizontal arch construction thus described has many advantages over the usual forms of locomotive arches, as will now ap- 1 pear, it being pointed out that it has become customary in locomotive practice to consider the arches as being positioned on an incline.

In the first place, our improved arch greatly increases the volume in the fire zone and thus provides ample space for combustion of the fuel.

Secondly, better distribution of fuel over the fire box by mechanical stokers is afforded. In this connection it is pointed out that difficulty has heretofore been experienced, especially in large fire boxes, in getting the fuel properly distributedat the front of the firebox, principally due to the lack of sufficient firing clearance under the arch at the front. Furthermore, in fire boxes of the usual form, the inclined arches act as a battle to deflect the fuel at the front and this is very ineflicient and detrimental to arch life,

Such drawbacks are overcome through the practice of our invention in which ample firing clearance is provided at the front.

Thirdly, we obtain advantages in the mat ter of radiant rays both above and below the arch, for an arch constructed in-accordance with our invention may be of any desired length and the longer the arch the more the radiant rays reflected to the fire box sides and crown.

Fourthly, the gas traveling passages above the horizontal arch will beefi'ective in compl-etely consuming any Cinders and fine particles of coal floating over the arch, which results in economy of fuel through better combustion, large reduction of front end cinder losses, and considerably less smoke at the stack.

The arrangement also makes: possible an increase in the available grate area for the reason that in certain types of engines having a large forward barrel combustion chamor troughs 9a as having water inlet communication with the rear water leg 23a by means of rearwardly extending tubular necks 9?) connected into the rear tube sheet 16a in any well known manner. Outlet communication with the top steam and water space 24 is provided through the longitudinally extending opening 24a. Thus the circulation is as v in the preferred form, namely, from the rear water leg 23a to the top steam and water space 24. i

In this form we have shown the side bricks 33a supported at the side sheets 12a by means of side water circulating elements or channels 336. It is to be understood, however,

that we make no claim to the elements 33?) in the present application, as they constitute part of the subject matter of an application filed by Chester Siegel and John P. Neif.

Although the advantages to be derived through the practice of our invention are best realized in barrel type fire boxes such as illustrated herein, it is to be understood that they may also be obtained in other types of fire boxes.

We claim 1. A locomotive fire box having a crown arch supported on said edges and terminating short of the rear of the fire box, and an upright bridge wall supported at the front portion of thefire box and extending up to the arch at the forward end thereof.

3. A locomotive fire box including water circulating elements depending from the top of the fire box in longitudinal and substantially horizontal disposition, a fire arch supported from said elements along their bottom edges and from the sides of the fire box in substantially horizontal disposition, said arch extending rearwardly from the front portion of the fire box to a point short of the rear thereof and dividing the interior of the firebox into a lowercombustion chamher and an upper gas passage, anda bridge A wall supported at the front portion of the fire box and extending up to the front portion of the arch.

4. A locomotive fire box construction including in combination with the usual crown sheet and rear water leg, an internal water leg depending from the crown sheet the bottom portion of which is substantially horizontal and of bulbous cross section, said internal water leg having communication with the space above the crown sheet and being provided with a circulating connection to the rear water leg, a substantially horizontally extending arch resting on said bulbous portion, said arch terminating short of the rear Water leg, and an upright cross wall closing the passage beneath the forward end of the arch.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names.

' ALFRED H. WILLETT.

CHESTER A. SIEGEL.

sheet, a back sheet, side sheets and a barrel portion, in combination with longitudinally extending water legs depending from the crown sheet, said water legs being of sub-" stantially one depth substantially throughout their extent and each havin a water inlet opening at the back sheet an a water outlet opening) at the crown sheet, arch brickssupported etween the side sheets and the lower portions of the water legs and between the lower portions of adjacent water legs, and a bridge wall supported fromthe barrel ortion and extending upright to the arch bricks.

2. A locomotive fire box including longitudinally disposed trough-like water circulating elements having substantially horizontal arch supporting bottom edges, a horizontal 

